Module 2

The Therapeutic Relationship

Module 2

The Therapeutic Relationship

“Being in the presence of someone who is calm, warm, and caring—characteristics of loving presence—is, in and of itself, part of a healing experience.”

–Kurtz (2001, as cited in Keller, 2010, p. 9)

Module Description

The focus in this module is the therapeutic relationship. Central to building a supportive therapeutic relationship is how the health professional consciously situates themselves towards the client and the relationship, and the qualities of their presence. This Therapeutic Stance as outlined by Numinus aligns with the Numinus Care Model that we learned last week. We will also explore the relevance of attachment style to the therapeutic relationship and discuss unique hazards that arise from the enhanced intimacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Display and embody a common understanding and language around the Numinus therapeutic stance when conducting psychedelic-assisted therapy.

  2. Apply Kolb’s experiential learning cycle to the client’s learning experience during and following Medicine Sessions and to the process of building a therapeutic relationship.

  3. Explain the role health professionals play in the dynamic of creating a safe and supportive space during psychedelic-assisted therapy.

  4. Define and list challenges and strategies for working safely within the enhanced intimacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy and upholding appropriate boundaries.

  5. Identify a client’s attachment style in order to best strengthen the therapeutic relationship.

  6. Demonstrate how to attend to a client’s non-verbal cues.

  7. Compare the sensations experienced during down-regulating and up-regulating exercises in order to determine the best exercise to apply to a client’s specific need.

References

Keller, R. (2010). Hakomi Simplified: A New View of Ron Kurtz's Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy [PDF]. Hakomi. http://hakomi.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Comments.pdf